Enstrom F28 accident near Kalispell, Montana, February 20, 2012
On February 20, 2012 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Enstrom F28 (helicopter), registered N51727, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kalispell, Montana (Kalispell City Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 2012 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kalispell, Montana · Kalispell City Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Enstrom F28 C · all F28s on the register
- Registration
- N51727 · no longer on the register · serial 393
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that the helicopter experienced a loss of engine power after the student initiated a practice autorotation about 650 feet above ground level. The flight instructor then assumed control of the helicopter for an emergency landing. However, the helicopter touched down short of the runway, became airborne again, rotated 180 degrees to the left, and landed on the taxiway with the main rotor spinning down. During the postaccident examination, the engine started and ran with no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The cause of the reported loss of engine power could not be duplicated.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Autorotation Loss of engine power (total) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Autorotation Hard landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,900 hours in all; 272 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 2,760 as pilot in command; 279 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 28, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 650 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 590 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 19, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,483 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 2012; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S27 Kalispell MT at 4:40 pm
- Destination: S27 Kalispell MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,600 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; scat at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from GPI, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.